Screwdriver



' SCREWDRIVER Filed Nov. 5, 1967 J/ZE INVEN'I OR United States Patent 3,517,714 SCREWDRIVER Edward W. Desbarats, 552 Lakeshore Road, Beaurepaire, Quebec, Canada Filed Nov. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 680,425 Int. Cl. B25b 23/08 U.S. Cl. 145-50 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved screwdriver including a slideable sleeve which is slideable along the screwdriver shank and across the screwdriver blade for the purpose of preventing the blade from slipping out of a screw slot, the sleeve when being positioned around the blade also enclosing the screw head.

This invention relates generally to screwdrivers.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved screw driver which includes selfcontained means to prevent the screwdriver blade from slipping out of the slot of a screw during screwing operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved screwdriver which includes a slideable sleeve which is moveable between an operative and inoperative position, and which is an operative position is slipped over the screwdriver blade so as to enclose the same and at the same time also enclose the head of a screw that is being screwed.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved screwdriver wherein the sleeve is of a flexible material so that it will readily bind upon the screwdriver blade as well as a screw.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved screwdriver incorporating the present invention and wherein the screwdriver may be of either hand operated type, automatic return hand operated type or a type such as is held in an electric drill chuck.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved screwdriver which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and eflicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a screwdriver showing the present invention incorporated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing a sleeve member in an alternate position for securing the screwdriver blade within the screw slot;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sleeve shown per se, and shown partly in cross-section;

FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 3 showing a modified form of construction;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an automatic return hand screw shown incorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the present invention shown held in a hand drill chuck.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10 represents a screwdriver according to the present invention, wherein there is a screwdriver member 11 of conventional design, and which includes a longitudinally extending, straight shank 12 having a handle 13 at its one end, the opposite end of the shank being flattened out to form a blade 14. The blade 14 has a straight, narrow end edge 15 which is receivable within a slot 16 of a screw head 17 of a screw 18.

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In the present improved screwdriver invention, the present construction includes a longitudinally slideable sleeve 19 that is slideable over the shank 12 and over the blade 14 selectively. The sleeve 19 may be made, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, of flexible rubber material to form a sidewall 20 bounded at its opposite ends by edges 21 to enclose a central opening 22 extending therethrough and into which the screwdriver 11 is receivable.

In a modified form of the construction, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, the sleeve 23 is made from a cylindrical configurated member having a plastic outerside wall 24 and an inner flexible inner wall 25 which are bounded at opposite ends by edges 26.

When the sleeve is not desired to be used, the same may be slipped upwardly upon the shank 12, away from the blade 14 of the screwdriver as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, during which position the screwdriver may be used in a conventional manner. However, should the operator desire to use the screwdriver in a manner so that the blade will not slip out of the screwdriver driven screw head slot, the sleeve 19 is then slipped downwardly over the blade 14, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, wherein the sleeve will enclose the blade 14 as well as the head 17 of the screw 18, thus preventing dislodging of the blade from the slot. In this position the screwdriver may be used in a normal turning operation without the danger of the screwdriver and screw becoming disengaged in view that the side wall 20 of the sleeve firmly binds upon the sides of the screw head as well as the blade of the screwdriver. Such securement will readily permit the operator to accordingly carry the screw upon the screwdriver blade into readily inaccessible places without the danger of the screw becoming disengaged from the blade. Furthermore, it will permit the screwdriver to carry the screw in an inverted position for screwing into the upper side of a surface such as a ceiling or the like.

As is shown in FIG. 5, the present invention is readily applicable to an automatic return screwdriver 27. As is shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the present invention is readily applicable to a screwdriver carried within an electric drill chuck 28.

Thus there has been shown an improved screwdriver which will prevent disengagement of the screwdriver blade from the slot of a screw head, thereby allowing use of the same to work upside down as well as transport the screw upon the end of the screwdriver without danger of the same from falling off. When the screwing operation is completed, the sleeve may be slipped upwardly onto the screwdriver shank out of the way of the screwdriver blade.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claim.

Iclaim:

1. In an improved screwdriver, the combination of an elongated, straight shank having a handle secured to one end thereof, the opposite end of said shank being flattened out to form a fiat blade, and said screwdriver incorporating self-contained means to prevent accidental disengagement of said screwdriver blade from the slot in a screwhead during screwing operation, said means comprising a cylindrically configurated sleeve, said sleeve comprising a side wall bounded between opposite edges, said sleeve having a central opening extending therethrough for receiving said blade and shank of said screwdriver, and said sleeve being slidable between an inoperative position upon said shank to an operative position around said blade and the head of a screw, said sleeve being of an outer layer of flexible plastic and an 4 inner layer of flexible rubber, and said central opening FOREIGN PATENTS being of a constant diameter throughout its length be- 1019 020 1/1953 France. tween the said opposite edges.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner References Cited 5 PAR E A E UNITED STATES PATENTS R. V. K R, JR., ssrstant xamlner 797,078 8/1905 Shelton 145 50 81 125 US 1,360,500 11/1920 C011 l4550 2,723,694 11/1955 Ross 14550 

